Troporhysipolis molecularis Quicke & Butcher

Donald L. J. Quicke, Sergey A. Belokobylskij & M. Alex Smith, 2016, A New Genus of Rhysipoline Wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with Modified Wing Venation from Africa and Papua New Guinea, Parasitoid on Choreutidae (Lepidoptera), Annales Zoologici 66 (2), pp. 173-192 : 187-189

Troporhysipolis molecularis Quicke & Butcher , sp. nov.

( Figs 26–32 )

Etymology. Named because its differential from T. brenthiaphagus is largely based on its very distinct barcoding gene.

Diagnosis. Very similar to T. brenthiaphagus sp. nov., but apparently differing in having the frons with a distinct mid-longitudinal sulcus. See also Table 2 for barcoding characterisation.

Description. Male. Length of body 2.1–3.2 mm, lenght of fore wing 2.75–3.1 mm.

Antenna with 33 flagellomeres. First flagellomere 4.3 times longer than wide, 1.1 times longer than second flagellomere. Median flagellomeres 2.4 times longer than wide. Width of head: width of face: height of eye = 2.75: 1.0: 1.65. Frons with mid-longitudinal sulcus. Od 3.3 times POL, and 0.7 times OOL. Face smooth and shiny with small punctures at the bases of relatively sparse setae. Inter-tentorial distance 4.3 times tentorio-ocular distance. Transverse diameter of eye 5.0 times longer than temple (dorsal view).

Mesosoma smooth and shiny, 1.7 times longer than high. Notauli remaining separate to posterior of mesoscutum where they are separated by a mid-longitudinal groove and coarser sculpture. Scutellar sulcus (prescutellar depression) with a single strong median carina. Precoxal suture long, narrow, angled submedially, crenulated. Median area of metanotum with a weak mid-longitudinal carina. Propodeum with basal midlongitudinal carina on anterior third.

Wings. Marginal (radial) cell 3.1 times longer than maximum width. Vein R1a (metacarp) 1.15 times longer than pterostigma. Vein r-rs (first radial abscissa) 0.7 times as long as maximum width of pterostigma. Vein 3 RSa (second radial abscissa) 3.0 times longer than vein r-rs (first radial abscissa) and forming very obtuse angle with it, 0.6 times as long as the almost straight vein 3RSb (third radial abscissa), 2.0 times longer than vein 2RS (first radiomedial). Second submarginal (second radiomedial) cell length 3.0 times maximum width, 1.1 times length of the wide first subdiscal (brachial) cell. Distance from vein 1cu-a (nervulus) to vein 1M (basal) 2.0 times vein cu-a (nervulus) length. First discal (discoidal) cell 1.85 times longer than wide. First subdiscal (brachial) cell 2.3 times longer than maximum width. Vein m-cu (recurrent) distinctly thickened and curved. Hind wing 4.5 times longer than wide. Veins M+CU (first medio-cubital abscissa) and 1M (second medio-cubital abscissa) equally long. Vein m-cu (recurrent) distinct, reclivous, interstitial.

Legs. Fore femur 5.3 times longer than maximally wide. Fore tarsus 0.9 times as long as fore tibia. Length of hind femur: tibia: tarsus = 1.0: 1.15: 1.1. Hind femur 5.0 times longer than wide. Hind basitarsus 7.0 times longer than wide, 0.7 times as long as secondfifth segments combined. Hind tarsus 0.95 times as long as hind tibia. Second tarsal segment of hind leg 0.6 times as long as basitarsus, 1.3 times longer than fifth segment (without pretarsus).

Metasoma. First metasomal tergite 1.4 times longer than maximally wide; 2.5 times narrowest width; raised median area rather rugulose. Median length of second tergite 0.9 times its basal width, 1.9 times length of third tergite.

Colour. Same as T. brenthiaphagus (see above).

Type material. Holotype: male, Madang, Ohu, 11.VIII.2004, 145°41’E, 5°14’S, 200 m, rered from Brethia sp. feeding on Ficus conocephalifolia Ridley, Novotny, Boen, Isua, Auga, Mogia, Tamiai, Andreas, Lilip, Manaono, Manumbor, Damag, Molem, Kutil & Krasa (voucher USNM – ENT –00496703, BCLDQ 01715).

Paratype, male, Madang, Ohu, 27, IX.2004, 145°41’E, 5°14’S, 200 m, rered from Brethia sp. feeding on Ficus bernaysii King, Novotny, Boen, Isua, Auga, Mogia, Tamiai, Andreas, Lilip, Manaono, Manumbor, Damag, Molem, Kutil & Krasa (voucher USNM – ENT –504974; BCLDQ 01713; GenBank KX058577 , the sequence of the holotype was identical to this and not deposited separately).

Other non-typpe material. The following specimens are excluded from the type series due to lack of molecular data but appear to belong to this species 188 D. L. J. QUICKE, S. A. BELOKOBYLSKIJ, M. A. SMITH, J. ROTA, J. HRCEK and B. A. BUTCHER on the basis of the frons character: 1 female: Papua New Guinea, Madang, Ohu, 11.VIII.2004, 145°41’E, 5°14’S, 200 m, reared from Brenthia sp. nov. ( Choreutidae ) on Ficus conocephalifolia Ridley (voucher USNM – ENT –00496702); 1 male, Papua New Guinea, Madang, Morox, 30, VII.2005, 144°06’E, 4°01’S, 100 m, reared from Brenthia sp. nov. ( Choreutidae ) on Ficus conocephalifolia Ridley (voucher USNM – ENT – 00645613); 1 female: Papua New Guinea, East Sepik, IV.2003, 143°55’E, 4°49’S, 100 m, reared from Brenthia sp. ( Choreutidae ) on Ficus copiosa Steud. (voucher USNM – ENT –00211681). One specimen of uncertain sex and missing a head (voucher USNM – ENT – 00503879) reared from a choreutid in on Ficus bernaysii King , cannot be assigned to either species.

Biology. The holotype and paratype were both reared from leaf-tying/rolling caterpillars of the genus Brenthia Clemens, 1860 (Choreutidae) feeding on Ficus conocephalifolia (Ridley, 1917) and on Ficus bernaysii King sec. King 1886, respectively.

Distribution. Papua New Guinea.

Comments. In addition to the key characters, there are other slight differences between the two type specimens of this species and that of T. brenthiaphagus dorsal view.

such as slightly more flagellomeres and slightly more elongate first flagellar segment. However, differences are common between the sexes of many braconid wasps and as this species is only known from males and T. brenthiaphagus only from a female, we think these are unlikely to be species-specific characters.

Figures

Figures 26 – 29. Troporhysipolis molecularis sp. nov. (26) Habitus, dorsal view; (27) Habitus, lateral view; (28) Head, dorsal view; (29) Mesosoma,

Figures 30 – 32. Troporhysipolis molecularis sp. nov. (30) Mesosoma, lateral view; (31) Fore wing second subdiscal (brachial) cell;